FYI: This will be my last Friday post while I see how this new posting schedule works. Next week I’ll begin posting 4 days a week, Mondays through Thursdays. For those of you that care, let me know what you think. 
Thank you to everyone who subscribes via email or RSS (buttons in the sidebar or below this post), that way you won’t miss a post, no matter what my schedule is.
Two New Year’s day questions for you today:
What’s YOUR New Year’s resolution for 2010? Mine is that same old boring one of getting back into a consistent exercise routine again. Sadly, I think I’ll need to walk more than run now because the last few times I went out for a run, I came back with my left knee and my right foot hurting…but they only hurt when I run and only after the first mile. So at least I can still run a mile and then walk after that. (Walking just seems so pokey after running, though.) I really want to get back into the habit of using the Bowflex. I think if I get some strength back in my legs (and more support for my joints) I can easily run further again, too. I love having a home gym right downstairs so I can hop on whenever I want. The problem is that last word. But the other thing I LOVE about having exercise equipment right in our own home is that I’m not paying through the nose for health club fees during those streaks we all go through when we’ve fallen off the wagon in our exercise routines.
- What is the best improvement to your health that you made in 2009? Be sure to include what finally motivated you to do it. Mine is just that the more I eat Real Food, the less I even want the crap. I didn’t believe people when they told me that would happen, and I definitely have a long way to go, but I see a change for sure.
One of my favorite loyal readers, Jeannine, prompted that second question with this request:
Anecdotes detailing personal successes always serve as wonderful positive reinforcement, and are perfect for an end-of-the-year period of reflection. They are inspiring as we go forward into a new year – plus they provide an endless source of new ideas and insights. For instance I never even heard of a dry skin brush until I read about it a few weeks ago on your site (now I like them a lot and do at least a modified version (hips and thighs) every other day or so). And of course, we’re all a little bit nosy and wonder what other people are doing and why and what the results were…
I’d probably have to go with the switch to whole, raw milk (and kefir) for us, because our success with that has been so clearly documented. Then again, drinking kombucha seems to have stopped my hair from turning grey, and that’s nothing to turn up my nose at. Yippee!!!
Still love your blog. I read it when I deserve a treat or when I want to unwind — which I need to do much too often these days.
Thanks Jeannine. Here’s some stuff you may have missed:
- From a year ago: 10 Steps to Better Health in the New Year.
- Here is the Bowflex we love and it includes FREE shipping: Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym
(I can’t believe how low the prices are on these now – we got ours back in 1998 and it was $2000! But we also got the 310# rod upgrade, available there if you scroll down.)
- More about my running history
- 4 Tips for Beginning Runners
- Here’s my exercise story which, by the way, was posted on the 2nd day after I began this blog.
- A 10 Minute Work-out.
- Dieting/my “food conversion”
- Help your overweight child
- Where is the truth on health and nutrition?
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
My main food-related resolution is no sugar binges. I am terrible about stress eating and when I get started, I will attack anything sugary within miles. My mantra for the year is “no binge in 2010″. Okay, so it doesn’t exactly ryhme, but it’s close.:O)
The best improvement of 2009? Well, there have been so many since this is the first year that I have seriously been on the traditional foods bandwagon. But I would have to say that the best thing I’ve done is get an Excalibur dehydrator and learn how to soak/sprout nuts and grains. I guess technically that’s two things, but I use one to do the other!
Hey Kelly, we were just writing down our 2010 goals yesterday. One of mine is that I will run a half-marathon, or longer race, in 2010.
My biggest health improvement in 2009 was to include more healthy fats in my diet. I’ve come a long way in the past year, but I know I have a ways to go.
Also, I just wanted to say, that I know you’re negative on belonging to a gym, you mentioned that before. But for me, it’s kept me faithful and consistent in my exercising for 3 years. Financially, it’s a small investment into my overall health. I’d give up cable tv before I’d give up my gym membership.
My biggest goal in the New Year is to lose weight. I made a good start this past year by committing to cook all the recipes in Simply in Season, which is why I started my blog. The recipes focus on local, in season produce and I’ve definitely added a lot of vegetables to my diet! I’ve also made a good start on eating local, natural foods. Problem is I eat too much of them or when I get busy I get fast food or very unhealthy food. So I hope to get better at meal planning and keeping things on hand.
My biggest goal is to stop eating out in 2010. I have five children and homeschool so I have gotten into a bad habit of “deserving to eat out”. We have also been making the switch to real food. In 2010 I will celebrate being cancer free for five years. I want to do all I can to ensure that I stay cancer free. God is so good- I shouldn’t be here today or my four year old who I was pregnant with at my time of diagnosis. I want to do the best that I can with our diet.
Love love love your site. I visit often and I always learn something new. Keep up the great work!!
Last year I only started with real food, but now I drink only raw milk and regularly crave pate. I guess that’s a big improvement. This year I want to really go more into a full traditional foods way of eating. There will be more on that later.
On running, I don’t. I’ve had knee issues since I was 10, my kneecaps aren’t quite perfectly situated so if I stumble I risk the cap slipping out of place and right back in. It HURTS, but lots of exercise, yoga, and rolfing seems to have made it a minimal issue. Still won’t run though unless I need to for a short distance.
DID get Wii Active as a gift and just one 20 minute session with that on Wednesday is still felt in my thighs. Going to be working with that during the year.
Happy 2010 everyone! We’re living in the FUTURE!
You pretty much know what my major 2009 changes were: everything! 2010 will bring more of the same, I think. More local, more seasonal, more exercise, more education.
Soli, I have knee issues too. Lots and lots of bone broth, raw milk and real fats have taken me from considering using a walker to walking more than a mile with no pain at all.
Wii Active rocks. Even my very active teens said they “felt it” in seldom-used muscles! I am loving it!
My resolution is to eat dinner as a family at 5:30 pm every night. We do it when my husband is home, but when he’s working late or traveling I make pancakes but don’t sit with the children, just work on the dishes etc. But this year I will sit and chat with them about their day.
My resolution is to sit and eat with the kids rather than in front of the computer and continue to make real foods….eating out only once a month and using the extra money saved for higher quality meats and vegetables. I also just got a wii fit and am planning on getting wii active so increasing my workouts with that.
Most of all, I plan on improving my walk with the Lord with consistant times in the word and truly being wholehearted in my devotion to HIM!
I’ve been doing no sugar for about 3 months now. No processed sugar, and saving fruit juices, honey, and maple syrup for very special treats. It’s really hard and I hate it. When I start to think about the fact that I’ll never eat Ben & Jerry’s EVER again, I have to tell myself “Just not today.” And I tell myself that every day.
To get more healthy fats into my families diet! I would real like to get a juicer so I can get my 3 year old off of store bought juice and get real nutrients into her.
Kelly, thanks for all of your hard and dedicated work you are really appreciated – you and cheeseslave really simplify my life:)
Wendy~ What is “Simply in Season”? a book, a blog? I googled it and there are quite a few references to it. I’d love to know which one you are talking about.
All of these resolutions sound wonderful – some have given me some more ideas for things I’d like to incorporate and some mirror my own journey.
Happy New Year everyone and good luck with your resolutions!!
I think the biggest change for us was the fermented cod liver oil. The taste is miserable, but seem to be seeing some wonderful changes in me and the family. We went skiing New Years Eve, and here it is the next day, and I am not exausted like I normally would be. Also, my son who has a terrible fear of heights was able to ride on the chair lift for the first time. Can’t scientifically prove all this, but am seeing a definite improvement in moods and emotions with living the WAP lifestyle.
Kathy
GAPS–for three to six months to build up my digestive energy.
My best health related change from last year: doing my best to eliminate high fructose corn syrup. It wasn’t 100% because I did have a soda a couple of times after I did that but it made a huge change in how my body sees sweets.
I look forward to your new posting schedule, Kelly!
As for my best health improvement in 2009, it was to include many more healthy fats in my diet. I had started slowly in 2008, but went whole hog in 2009! I have been very pleased with the results and I love the way food full of good fat tastes. We now eat tons of butter from grass-fed cows, without feeling at all guilty. I’m thrilled to be adding coconut and coconut oil to my cooking whenever possible, especially since I’ve always liked the taste. I credit you with playing a big part in getting me to stop fearing fat — thanks!
Wow, it’s so fun reading all these…
Just a few replies:
Liz, I suppose I should clarify my feelings on joining a gym. If you’re very disciplined then it’s great and probably worth all the extra money if it keeps you motivated, but if you’re like I am (I go through streaks of being “good” and not so good), then a home gym is better and much less expensive!
(p.s. Missed you last night at the party!)
Autumn, I’m so thankful to God for your healing!
Soli, I had to google what “rolfing” was.
Katrina, along with needing to get more consistent with my exercise, I also need to get more consistent with my morning time with the Lord – I got a neat new devotional for Christmas: “The Better Part” – that will help me a lot.
Jessie, I LOVE sweets and ice cream, too, but now that I make my own with real food (using maple syrup for the sweetener – the recipe is here on the site) – it’s SO good that I don’t even WANT Ben & Jerrys or the other junky ice cream anymore. Honest!
Elaine, I think Wendy was referring to the Simply in Season book.
Kathy, have you tried the new FCLO? It doesn’t taste nearly as bad as the previous bottles, it’s actually not bad at all, believe it or not!
All of you are making me want to check out “Wii Active”…
Back to fighting with my new iPhone…grrrrrrrrrrr
Kelly
Kelly, you definitely should check out the active if you have a wii. I don’t like the fit much because on the original you can’t do a continuous workout; you have to hunt and peck for everything.
I am so thankful for the rolfing. Quite seriously, my ribs used to stick out like crazy and I thought it was just how my skeleton was. First session alone got them up and down and even now I look at my ribs in wonder.
My goal for the new year is to beat chronic fatigue. I have all my other health issues under control (or completely resolved), but this remains a thorn in my side. The past year we transitioned to a completely healthy way of eating that started with the elimination of corn and soy additives when we realized we were allergic. We now eat only homecooked, traditional foods but still have some healing to do.
I do have some strategies for beating fatigue including taking raw liver “pills”, eating organ meats religiously twice a week, going to sleep in complete darkness at the same time every night, eating at least three meals per day, incorporate vegetable juicing into my routine, and getting strict about my inclusion of cod liver oil and probiotics daily. I am exhausted just thinking about it. LOL
Hi Kelly!
I certainly do care about the posting, I learn so much from them. Only thing that bothers me is 4 days in a row will be a lot to absorb. I read them and re read them and sometimes print them off. I guess I could refer back to your website if I miss something. We raised a beef in 09 that will be going to market the end of January. Does anyone know how I ask for tallow? Will they just give me the fat to make the tallow? or will they do it?
Keep up the great job Kelly- the information is invaluable!
Happy New Year and Happy Feast of Mary, Kelly,
I just watched FOOD, INC. with Todd and wanted to say a big THANK YOU to you, Cheeseslave and all fellow “foodies” for your commitment to investigating, informing and educating us.
I thank God that you share the gifts He gave you, taking so much time to help others in so many ways be healthier in mind, body and spirit.
Peace and all good,
Amy
Happy new year everyone, my new years achievement i believe is to fully understanding Dr. Price’s works where its fruition comes into effect in the area of emotional stability and moral in relation to nutrition and its reflection in those around me. And just a year to get my priorities straight and having myself come into fruition so to speak.
Janet, tell them you want the fat bacause you are going to make tallow with it. I would even ask if they would do it for you. Best wishes.
Hi, Kelly!
I haven’t officially written out my resolutions yet (we just landed — Katie’s napping after a long plane ride back from Austin).
I want to lose the last 15-20 pounds I haven’t been able to lose since Kate was born. I’m going to use the Gabriel Method combined with the Liberation Diet. I was able to lose 10 pounds with the Liberation Diet (except I gained 5 back over the holidays — whoops). I’ll be posting about the Gabriel Method in the new year — it’s really neat.
I also want to get pregnant. We want to conceive our second child this year. So if I don’t lose the weight, I’ll just get preggo.
Needless to say, I’m eating very nutrient dense meals for my preconception diet — tons of seafood (pretty much daily for the past few weeks), liver at least once or twice a week, raw dairy, grass-fed butter & cream, lots more probiotics, iodine, etc.
I’d like to get to the gym 2-3 times per week. I bribe myself with reading. I love to read and rarely find time to do it — but the gym is a place I can read in peace (either audiobooks or Kindle iphone reader).
I have other goals re: cooking & eating this year. I plan to eat more liverwurst (from US Wellness Meats, I also might try to make it — and I’ll be feeding it to my family), make haggis (Scottish organ sausage), and I want to master sourdough bread, sprouted flour pie crust, sprouted flour sourdough pasta, sprouted flour tortillas, and countertop yogurts (like filmjolk).
PS: I love my WiiFit!
(gee I am commenting a lot today)
Ann Marie, I don’t know if your taste goes that way, but may I recommend US Wellness Meats raw braunschweiger? I got some at the end of November, along with the cooked, and love the raw MUCH more. So much so that I ordered three pounds of it in my latest order to have in my workday lunch.
Hey Kelly — I promise I’m not trying to debate with you about the gym membership thing, but afer reading your response this has been on my mind all day. I thought I would leave it, because perhaps it would help somebody else out in some way.
I think the reason belonging to a gym works for me is precisely because I am invested into it. It cannot sit in my basement, already paid for, and get ignored when I’m not in a good streak. The gym calls to me, it’s my place of respite and rejuvenation. Even if I don’t feel like going, I know that I ALWAYS feel better when I go. I go to classes and I meet up with friends and when I leave each day there are people expecting to see me again in the week. When the weather is bad, or my daughter has a snow day, my exercise plans don’t go on the back burner because I can drop her in the kids’ area. It works for me. I promise not to comment about this anymore!
I just wanted to add that although I have been eating full-fat foods, I haven’t gained any weight from this change in diet. I only notice that my weight goes up when I eat lots of sugar and/or other carbs. The fat seems to have nothing to do with it. In fact, when I eat coconut oil, I feel really full and eat smaller meals.
I know other people must be pretty shocked when they see how much butter and cream I use!
KC, for the liver pills, I have a dumb question: can you chop the liver into pills when it’s frozen, or do you have to let it thaw a bit first then re-freeze them?
Liz, this is why blogs are fun, don’t apologize for adding more info! This is also just the type of info that is great for the new year, so others can hear what works for different people.
Ellen, I’ve found the exact same thing to be true with my own body.
I’m watching this thing on wii active right now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KRGstOOMyU
I let it thaw only enough to be able to cut it into tiny pieces. I spread them on a dish and let them refreeze before putting back into a container so they don’t stick together. Also, it is important to freeze liver for 14 days prior to using raw as this kills parasites (per Sally Fallon). Eating raw braunsweiger from US Wellness meats is also a good thing to do – I’m just not “there” yet, but my 17yo son loves it (go figure!).
I’m happy to see others eating the raw braunsweiger. I haven’t ordered this yet but I think I will soon!
I agree with someone that 4 days in a row is a lot to absorb. I think I would be PLENTY if every blogger only did it once a week. Now that you have the Real Food Media, there’s so much more to read from other bloggers as well. I can’t even keep up.
I’ve printed out so many recipes and have only tried a little tiny bit because I didn’t want to miss reading anything. So I guess it seems like I’m not spending as much time in the kitchen as I’d like. I’ve tried to not keep up but occasionally I read an article that I end up really learning a lot from and was glad I took the time to read it even tho I didn’t feel like I had time or that it wasn’t relevate to me.
I really liked it when you had the themed weeks so I could just focus on one topic occasionally. Maybe once a month it could be themed? But I understand that everyone is at different levels.
I was vegan for 11 years and, in 2009, started eating animal products again. Nourishing Traditions had been sitting on my bookshelf for about a year before I finally felt called to read it. I found a local, raw dairy and started buying milk last spring. This summer we were in Ireland for our honeymoon and I had fish every day we were there. Since then, I eat fish at least 2x per week. Now, as of the past month, I’m eating other meat as well. My body craves the foods that I’d “unknowingly” deprived it of for the past decade. I have hardly any sugar cravings – I haven’t sat down with a bowl of raisins for months; my period are much more regular – seems most likely related to not eating soy anymore. My husband has always been an omnivore, but he is still getting used to my new way of eating and my support and arguments for foods to which I use to ardently be against.
Even though I don’t much care for New Year’s resolutions, my goal is to continue expanding my animal product repertoire and to work on soaking grains. I love crispy pecans … I’d really like to get pregnant soon, so I’m trying to eat as much nutrient dense food as possible. I guess time will tell whether my previous diet had any long term effects on my reproductive health.
Thanks for blogs like yours to help with the day-to-day implementation of traditional diets.
Soli – Thank you for the recommendation — I’ll order some!
Kelly,
Well, you sure got a lot of responses! Great ideas, too.
Me?? I’ve changed my whole life in the last 4 years or so.
Sooo, I’m just going to keep doing what i’m doing and I’m sooo new at it…3 years back and forth, adjusting this and that, and getting over my fear of ghee and all, that I figure it’s ENOUGH!!! On top of which, I just got back to running. Let’s talk about how you might get started again sometime. No worries. No hurry.
Just read your friend’s article 7 reasons why to eat more fat…Elizabeth at Nourished Life. Lovely article and a good read.
You and your site are extraordinary, Kelly.
Thank you for working so hard. I still think my favorite article was your comparison of McDougall’s fare at his seminars [low fat dogma] compared to the Nourished Tradition conference fare. That was an excellent idea and it simply made more sense to me for the first time, seeing those menus together. Oh..my goodness, what was I thinking eating that sad, sad, way??? I lump it with the SAD AMERICAN DIET…Standard American Diet.
I owe you, Sally Fallon, my homeopathic vet, Cecille, Thomas Cowan, a debt of gratitude. My mental/emotional state is sooo heavenly.
Color me grateful. When I return from Merida, I will purhase a few of your ingredient books: how fabulous!!
Hugs. Your fan forever,
Love,
Karen in Kalifornia
Two new years resolutions. First, see if I can still get my 20 year old degree, so I can get a better job. Secondly, keep better track of my finances.
KC, Another question on the ‘liver pills’ if you don’t mind! I read about slightly thawing, cutting and refreezing. I’m assuming they’re about the size of a regular little pill. What I’m wondering is how many/how much do you take per day? Just one? More than one? I have 3 pounds of grass-fed beef liver in my freezer and no one else wants any! This gives me hope on being able to start with me, at least. Thanks!
Kelly, I don’t have any resolutions that are well-defined right now. I know they will include continuing to read your website and trying to make some real, concrete improvements in my family’s health by cooking at home from scratch much more often.
Happy New Year to All!!!
Hi Flo, My kids and I take one fairly large “pill” a day but it is because we are folic acid/B vitamin deficient. We would probably take more because of our deficiency, but I also serve cooked liver at least once per week. The liver pills are more popular with them than the cooked liver, but I love the cooked liver and onions! I wish I could find a good source of mussels, oysters or clams here but I have to avoid citric acid which is used extensively in seafood. Anyone know a good (citric acid-free) source that will ship to the Southeast US?
We are also taking probiotics and eating fermented vegetables to try to repopulate our good bacteria since B vitamin/folic acid deficiencies usually indicate a problem with gut flora (good bacteria in the digestive system are heavily involved in B vitamin assimilation).
KC, What size is a big “pill”? We (at least my son and I) have plenty of digestive/immune issues as well and need to repopulate our gut flora. ‘Sorry about the “20 Questions” but I’m just trying to learn how things work for others.
Thanks again!
Our big pill is the size of a large capsule. Small enough to swallow but large enough to do us some good. I’ve read about drinking dairy kefir and eating the grains, but I can’t find a good source of corn-free milk yet. We take the six strain blend from customprobiotics.com since it is corn-free. Which one do you take?
KC, Thanks for your quick reply! That’s something I think I’ll try! If you’re asking me about the probiotics, we’re not there yet. I’ve been kind of on a nutritional treadmill — not really getting anywhere (not even exercise on this kind of treadmill!). I’m thinking I’ll just have to make small decisions and take babysteps. I haven’t had a chance to read Kelly’s Real Food Ingredient Guide yet that I just got, but I’m hoping that it’ll give me some ideas on those little tiny steps.
The probiotics were one of our baby steps. It was easy to just stir some into water and drink it every morning. They really helped our digestion and I felt we needed to start repopulating our gut flora before anything else would do us much good. Taking baby steps is what works best, anyway. If you try to incorporate a ton of changes at once, it is easy to get overwhelmed and fall behind. I still have a list of things I want to add to our daily routine, but I just try to master one at a time. Good luck.
KC, Thanks! That sounds like wise advice! You’re definitely right about trying to do too much at once! I have to be careful not to do that!
The Grand Real Food Adventure, Part II: Reversing Osteoporosis With Real Foods
Last September, I posted about the unbelievable success we’ve had lowering my DH’s chronic hereditary high cholesterol by 100+ points merely by switching from 1% pasteurized homogenized milk to raw whole milk and kefir (can’t get him to eat baked oatmeal, unfortunately). That post is here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/oxidized-cholesterol-sally-fallon-answers-a-reader-question.html
This month, I got my good news.
My family has hereditary high blood pressure (father, mother, . My mother has severe osteoporosis.
To date, I have been the only family member who has not had to resort to prescription drugs to keep my high blood pressure under control. Through sheer determination, I have managed to keep my blood pressure down by running 2-4 days per week, but the resulting wear and tear on my joints has blown out my knees — okay, not really blown them out, but they make crunchy noises when I go up stairs. No pain, but the sound skeeves me out. Between that awful noise and my impossible workload (litigator in NYC), since last fall I have curtailed my exercise to merely walking 1-2 days a week. Not nearly enough, and I feared I would have to resort to prescription drugs, too.
Several years ago, I was diagnosed with osteopenia which by 2008 was full blown osteoporosis. Although I was on the once-a-month drug Actinol and a prescription once-a-week Vitamin D supplement, I experienced some of the side effects and I hated having to take it.
About 2007, I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. Perhaps more correctly, I showed signs that I was getting Hashimoto’s disease, although my test results indicated that I would have full blown Hashimoto’s any time now
Jeannine,
WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! What an AMAZING real food story!!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing with us about all that is possible when we feed our bodies what they NEED!!!
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
I’m researching shoes and how our bare feet are the best equipment for running. Your shoes may be the reason you hurt from running! I’m so excited knowing this information, as I hate wearing shoes for a good reason, they hurt my feet!
Here are some links for you to check out if your interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9itkEkcQ8WM&feature=related
http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oS0B7QHPQ0&feature=related
I’ve heard that, too, recently. The topic fascinates me, yet I can’t imagine running without my shoes! I haven’t read much about it, though. Mostly I think I hurt from running because I don’t do it often ENOUGH!
Kelly